British and Foreign Bible Society.

Waiapu Church Times, Volume I, Issue 1, 1 July 1907, Page 13

British and Foreign Bible Society.

STORY OF BIRLE DISTRIBUTION

The story of the year's Bible distribution, as told m the brief summary of the report given at the May annual meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society at Exeter Hall, London, on Wednesday morning, was one which was calculated to fascinate the audience. The list of languages into which some portion of the Bible has been translated by the Society has been increased by eight. The grand total is now- 409. If has completed as many versions of the Bible as the years of its existence — 103. Last year it's colporteurs sold two- and a quarter million copies. Coming to the question of finance, it has realised the height of its ambition with regard to the Centenary Fund, and has gathered m the round sum of 250,000 guineas ; whilst, for the first time m nine years, it has a balance instead of a deficit to report. But this, latter result has only been obtained by severe economy on the part of the' committee, and has necessitated a sad crippling of the work, so that a special plea for increased financial help was very emphatically urged. A most interesting quartette of speakers supported the Marquis of Northampton, who was m the chair. The Rev. George Owen, one of the revisers of the Mandarin New Testament, referred to China. "It is m man's best we see his greatest need." The Chinaman is seen _at his best m the Confucian classics, and that ancient literature's silence upon the question of death and afuture life shows his need of the Gospel. "Perhaps nowhere," 'he concluded, " is there such a divorce between precept and practice as m China." Mr R. K. Sorabji, of the North India Bible Society Committee, followed with a stirring account of the ever-growing history of the Bible m India. Alluding to the present unrest m that country, he said : " The whole • question of the government of India is fraught with the greatest difficulty. I cannot conceive anything that Can unite the people at all but this Word of God." The Rev. F. Uttley^ the Society's agent m Brazil, claimed that .the colporteur is the pioneer missionary m South America, and

the Bishop of Selkii-k told something, of the difficulties and successes attending work through his diocese. As an illustration of the alterations m the text often necessitated by the absence of corresponding words and ideas m the language of the translation and the minds of the people, he quoted the version of the words, .".Wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove," which is to be found m the copies of the Scriptures his E.9quimeau flock read : " Wise as a weasel and harmless as a seal pup." A congratulatory telegram from the China Centenary Conference at Shanghai arrived a little before the meeting began.